The 2020 baseball season brought with it a highly anticipated rookie class and new stars, making the 2020 baseball card update one of the most exciting releases in recent memory. While the COVID-19 pandemic shortened and altered the season, it did nothing to diminish fans’ interest in collecting the newest rookie cards and memorabilia from their favorite players and teams.
Some of the biggest names from the 2020 rookie class included Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox, Cristian Pache of the Atlanta Braves, and Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies. Robert in particular had a breakout season, hitting .338 with 11 home runs in only 31 games to finish second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. His Topps Chrome Update rookie refractor parallel /99 sold for over $1,000 shortly after release. Pache made his MLB debut and showed elite defense in center field that had scouts drooling for years, while Bohm hit .338 after being called up in August and looked like a future star at third base.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also had his first full MLB season in 2020 after debuting in 2019, and he started to live up to the hype by hitting .262 with nine home runs in 60 games. His cards from Topps Update and Bowman Chrome were some of the hottest on the market as collectors anticipated a breakout year. Other young stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Ronald Acuña Jr. continued to dominate and saw strong interest in their 2020 cards as well.
In terms of veterans, Mookie Betts made his debut with the Dodgers after being traded from Boston in the offseason. His 2020 Update base card sold for over $100 shortly after release as Dodgers fans embraced their new star outfielder. Mike Trout remained the undisputed king of the hobby as always, with even his base cards selling for $20-30 each due to his unmatched talent and popularity among collectors. Other established stars like Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger, Jacob deGrom, and Gerrit Cole also saw strong sales of their 2020 cards.
When it comes to parallels and serial-numbered cards, the biggest hits from 2020 Update included:
Luis Robert chrome /99 refractor – Sold for over $1,000
Fernando Tatis Jr. blue parallel /150 – Consistently sold for $300-400 each
Ronald Acuña Jr. red parallel /250 – Sold for $200-300 each
Juan Soto green parallel /499 – Sold for $150-250 each
Mookie Betts gold parallel /2020 – Sold for $100-150 each
Mike Trout atomic refractor /50 – Sold for $500-700 each
Jacob deGrom purple parallel /199 – Sold for $150-250 each
Gerrit Cole orange parallel /199 – Sold for $100-150 each
In terms of inserts and hit cards, some of the most sought after included:
Topps Chrome Update Luis Robert autograph – Sold for $500-800 each
Topps Chrome Update Cristian Pache autograph – Sold for $300-500 each
Topps Chrome Update Alec Bohm autograph – Sold for $200-400 each
Topps Chrome Update Mookie Betts autograph – Sold for $150-300 each
Topps Chrome Update Mike Trout relic card – Sold for $250-400 each
Topps Chrome Update Cody Bellinger relic card – Sold for $150-250 each
Topps Chrome Update Fernando Tatis Jr. autograph – Sold for $150-250 each
Topps Chrome Update Juan Soto autograph – Sold for $100-200 each
The pandemic caused Topps to change how they distributed 2020 Update as well. Instead of the traditional retail blaster and hobby boxes, they released the set solely through hobby boxes and jumbo boxes. This led to initial scarcity and high prices, with hobby boxes selling for $150-250 each and jumbos going for $400-600. As more product was released over time, prices stabilized to $100-150 for hobby boxes and $300-400 for jumbos.
Despite the unusual baseball season, the 2020 Update release was a massive success for Topps and collectors alike. Rookie cards of Robert, Pache, Bohm and others are sure to gain value over time as their careers progress. Parallels of stars like Betts, Trout, Tatis Jr. and Soto will always be in high demand. And hit cards featuring the new rookie class are some of the most coveted pieces in any collector’s inventory. Whether collecting for enjoyment or investment, the 2020 Update set provided excitement and value that transcended the circumstances of its unique release year.
